Richard Maltese, 43, of the 400 block of Hamden Avenue, pulled his blue t-shirt over his head to shield his face from news photographers as cops led him into the courthouse.

Maltese made three phone calls on April 30 to Sharpton's National Action Network, leaving voicemails, police allege.
In the voicemails, Maltese cursed, called Sharpton the n-word and told Sharpton that what happened in Bensonhurst could happen again, authorities allege. The Bensonhurst comment is believed to be a reference to an assassination attempt on Sharpton on Jan. 12, 1991, when the activist was stabbed in the chest as he prepared to lead a protest through Bensonhurst.

Authorities say the phone calls were made over Sharpton's opposition to Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigrants.